I was a secret eater – then I fell pregnant and everything changed | UK | News

A woman has revealed her incredible transformation after years of battling with her weight, shedding an impressive 14 and a half stone and completely changing her health, outlook, and future. Carys Teasdale, 38, from Tonyrefail, Rhondda Cynon Taf, used to feel like she was constantly at war with food.

From a young age, she felt different. “Even as a child I was always bigger than other children in my class,” she remembered. “When there were school photos and that I’d always stick out like a sore thumb.” Her relationship with food was significantly influenced by weekends spent with her doting great aunt, who “absolutely loved to spoil us.”

“It came from a place of love but she almost became my feeder,” Carys admitted. “She used to buy me takeaways, pizzas, and tubs of ice cream – from that I built up quite an unhealthy relationship with food.” As she grew older, the teasing escalated into bullying, and food became her secret solace. “When I was in my teenage years I became a bit of a secret eater. Eating became my escape.”, reports Wales Online.

“My mother was always wary of my size so she always cooked healthy things for us but when I reached the age where I was getting pocket money I’d go out and buy chocolate and crisps. I’d end up eating them in my bedroom and hiding the wrappers – it was such a toxic relationship with food but it was also my source of comfort because I was dealing with the bullying, which had gotten to a physical level.”

In her late teens, secret eating escalated into binge-drinking and frequent takeaways. Working as a chef and being constantly surrounded by food only exacerbated the situation. “Moving away from home at 18 escalated my eating even more because I was in charge of what I was eating. I was out of control,” she confessed.

Carys became a self-proclaimed “yo-yo dieter”, trying everything from the cabbage soup trend to keto and juice plus – all in an attempt to lose weight. But nothing stuck. She admitted: “It was so hard – especially working in this industry, being in a kitchen, surrounded by food constantly, that temptation was always there.

“My husband and I, we’re both chefs so we’re massive foodies. We’d love going out to restaurants, having a takeaways after a long day at work – we’d eat a full sized pizza and not even think about it. I’d have a sharer packet of crisps on top and not be fazed.”

At her heaviest, Carys was a size 30. “On a normal day I’d either skip breakfast or have maybe three slices of toast on the go then I’d be picking at work. So at breakfast I’d have any leftovers from serving – sausage or a bacon sandwich, something like that. At lunchtime it would again be things left over from service, typically chips or a burger – unhealthy fried foods more than anything that were quick to grab. In the night it would be a takeaway – mostly fast food. Snacking all in between that.”

At the age of 34, Carys’ life took a dramatic turn when she found out she was pregnant, something she never thought would happen. “I knew that I had polycystic ovaries so falling pregnant would be difficult. Finding out that it happened was a shock to the system – but it essentially changed my life.”

Despite her joy at becoming a mum, Carys’ pregnancy journey was far from easy. Early on, doctors informed her that she had developed gestational diabetes – a type of high blood sugar that occurs during pregnancy and usually disappears after giving birth.

The NHS states that while most women with gestational diabetes have normal pregnancies and healthy babies, the condition can lead to complications. These include the baby growing larger than usual, which can complicate delivery and increase the likelihood of needing induced labour or a caesarean section, an excess of amniotic fluid in the womb potentially leading to premature labour or delivery complications, or even premature birth before 37 weeks. “I was checking my sugar six times a day,” Carys revealed. “I had to inject insulin three times a day as well. And then there was a high risk of being diabetic after birth.”

She also discovered that she was at high risk of heart disease. “I also found out that I was at high risk of heart disease and I wanted to be a present parent for my daughter. I remember sitting and crying in desperation. It transformed my entire perspective on food because I had to monitor my sugar levels and be conscious of what I was consuming. I knew I had to take the step to change my lifestyle.”

Having previously attempted Slimming World online, Carys recognised she required the backing of a group setting. In August 2022 she stepped through the doors.

“Walking through the doors of Slimming World was the hardest step but also the best decision I ever made,” she said. “I was absolutely petrified, so nervous, because I was so big and thought that everyone would be looking at me. But they were there with open arms. Just so friendly. I realised: ‘We’re all here for the same reason’.”

Utilising her culinary expertise, she embraced Slimming World’s food optimising plan and began crafting healthier versions of her beloved dishes. “We always loved a takeaway so I found different ways to cook ‘fakeaways’ – Chinese, Indian, with all the sundries that came with it but all on plan. No family meals are off-limits. It’s all about balance, freedom, and creating healthy habits for life.”

In a significant transformation, she started preparing her breakfasts and lunches the evening before to maintain her progress and slowly eliminated chocolate entirely from her diet.

“My husband sits next to me now with a bar of chocolate and when he offers me some I have no problem in saying: ‘No’. It doesn’t even bother me. I’d say it took a year for me to get there. I came to understand that while it was something I wanted my body didn’t need it.” One habit that Carys is devoted to is consuming breakfast.

“I never miss it anymore. It’s so important. Usually it’s oats or fruit. I get up for work 6.30am everyday so I make the effort to prepare it in the evening and put it in the fridge. With lunch I usually have rice, pasta, salads, or fish – it is all about optimising and keeping on top of it.”

Physical activity, previously intimidating, also became integrated into her routine. “I was so scared to go to the gym initially so all I would really do was walk. Anywhere and everywhere. I never did that before – I’d get out of breath just walking to the end of the street. Going upstairs was a challenge.

“I started slow and steady – even if it was just 20 minutes or half an hour a day. Then eventually I picked up the courage to go to the gym. I didn’t want to go in the beginning but when I got there I looked around and I was noticing that I was the one who was looking. Everyone is there for their own reason – to better themselves.”

All of her dedication has borne fruit. Carys has shed 14 and a half stone and now fits into a size 10-12. Most crucially, she can now keep pace with her lively little girl who is now four years old.

“She has autism and ADHD so she is like a bottle of pop, she is so full of energy – I am on my feet constantly with her. I just can’t imagine being as I was before and trying to do that with her.

“That was always the aim – I wanted to be present, I wanted to run around with her, play in the park, go out and about. This has given me a new lease of life. I love life now whereas before I didn’t care about myself – I didn’t care what happened to me. It’s given me a new outlook on life.”

Her relatives are “unbelievably proud” and Carys has progressed to become a Platinum Body Magic member and a Slimming World consultant herself. “If I can do it anyone can,” she said.

“I want people to know that no matter where you’re starting from there is hope – and we’ll be with you every step of the way. I know how hard it is and I want to help as many people as I can so we are launching the Slimming World Ogmore Vale Saturday Group this weekend. It’s actually relaunch of a group I used to attend and a lot of the old members are coming with me and returning but we welcome everyone. Slimming World is a massive community and we all support each other. That’s what it’s all about.”

The new Slimming World Ogmore Vale Saturday Group launches on September 20 at 8.30am at Halo Leisure Centre.